Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Alphabet Sensory Bin: Fun Early Literacy Activities

During Wild Thing's nap Tuesday, I put together an alphabet sensory bin for him using small alphabet pasta, stamp letters, magnet letters and cut out letters. I rarely do activities with food in which the food won't be able to be eaten (with my raisin post yesterday almost all of the 10 activities kept the raisins edible), but we were given the fun alphabet pasta (and several other bags of pasta recently), so I decided it would be okay to use the pasta for the sensory bin.

However, I'm glad I included the pasta because the tiny letters captivated Wild Thing. They also required major focus for him and kept him engaged much more intently and longer than just the large letters would have. It really surprised me how interested he was in the little letters, since I expected the magnets to be the hit. I also love the way the small letters engaged his fine motor skills.

At the last minute, I also laid out an Alphabet Puzzle that Ga'Ma sent us (she got it at the Dollar Tree). He went straight for that first, which worked out really well. After he completed the puzzle, Wild Thing loved exploring the sensory bin and matching letters from the bin to the puzzle.

After awhile, he noticed the Go Fish Alphabet cards I had laid out (another gift from Ga'Ma) and put them into the mix with his letter matching. I like this element because it reinforces what sounds the letters make (since he's got his letter identification under wraps these days, I'm focusing a lot on matching letters and sounds).

I was amazed that it took roughly half an hour, maybe longer, for Wild Thing to decide that the cards were now cars and trains that he needed to drive all over the kitchen -- a clear sign that our alphabet sensory bin early literacy experience was a hit!! - In fact, after dinner he asked for the letters again.